Production of semiconductor devices requires cleanliness of substrates as well as articles used for storing and transferring these substrates. Presence of particulates and other contaminant can negatively impact production yields. The transport of the semiconductor substrates is typically carried out in special articles or, more specifically, containers, such as cassettes, carriers, trays, Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP), Front-Opening Shipping Box (FOSB), Standard Mechanical Interface (SMIF), MAC (Multi Application Carrier), pods, and boxes. For example, a FOUP typically includes one or more comb-like guiding structures positioned inside a shell for supporting substrates. The FOUP also includes a door that can be removed from the shell and allow a substrate handling robot to access the substrates from the shell.
FOUPs and other articles used for storing and transferring semiconductor substrates need to be periodically cleaned in order to prevent contamination of substrates and to maintain the standard of cleanliness needed for the substrates. The FOUPs and other articles can be cleaned using special cleaning and drying equipment. As the cleanliness requirements become more stringent, the number of cleaning cycles and complexity of each cycle increases. For example, a FOUP may need to be cleaned after each individual use in order to prevent cross contamination.
Overall, it is desirable to shorten the time needed for cleaning FOUPs and other articles used for storing and transferring substrates. At the same time, mechanical complexity of the FOUPs and other articles increases in order to accommodate new substrate handling systems and perform new functions. For example, a FOUP door is engaged with a FOUP body using a complex set of moving parts provided with the FOUP door. Furthermore, FOUP doors and bodies may include numerous openings used for engagement these components and for coupling to these components using, for example, substrate handling equipment. These openings may complicate drying with trapped cleaning and/or other liquids.